School bullies put teen in hospital

A high school student has spent six days in hospital with head injuries after a serious bullying incident at a north Waikato school.

Fourteen-year-old Krishnan Naidu of Te Kauwhata College suffered a concussion and cut to the base of his scalp on June 10, after what the school principal regards as a game between friends that went too far.

"Some of the boys were slapping Krishnan around, he was laughing and joining in with the game initially but it was obviously more painful than the boys realised and it got worse," principal Deborah Hohneck says.

But Krishnan says that's not true. He wasn't involved in a game and he doesn't know why the other students started hitting him.

"No, there was no game -- they just came randomly in a circle and everyone started slapping me," he says.

Krishnan doesn't remember much else about the attack.

His granddad Jim Allison was first to arrive at the school after the incident and says his grandson was unable to recognise him.

"He didn't know me for a start. He didn't know where he was, he was very disoriented," he says.

The school claims staff offered to call an ambulance, but the family say that's not true. They say they were forced to take Krishnan to the local medical centre before he was transferred to Waikato Hospital.

Ms Hohneck acknowledges the incident is serious, but says the school has dealt with the students involved appropriately.

They were stood down for two days and will receive counselling, but Krishnan's family wants more action. They'd like to meet with the students involved, and their parents, to ensure they fully understand the consequences of their actions.

They also want to make sure should Krishnan return to the school, nothing like this will happen again.